Creativity is an act of practice, passion and courage.

The word comes from the latin root 'creo', which means unsurprisingly "to create, make". To be creative is literally to create and make things. Often we're making things that we feel have never been done before--that's why we view certain professions as being strictly creative. Artists, writers, film makers, photographers, etc-- these people are viewed creatively because they are in the business of making things, and making new and interesting things that are shared with the world.

I often think of these people as so gifted that one day they just had a lightning bolt of an idea hit them, and they created a masterpiece and sold a million copies of it. The truth is that their work is often the result of hundreds of hours, days, and months of them practicing and trying other things. That lightning bolt moment may have been there, but it's only the result of all the dots being placed on the sheet, or all the puzzle pieces being laid out in front of them. The lightning bolt is simply the catalyst to start to connect it all, and to see the picture being made.

Creativity is practice. It's the act of showing up every day and putting aside time to create and try new things. I love writing, and I often wish I could just sit down and write once and have it be ready to publish. Sometimes that's true, but more often than not, I write something and never look at it again. Or I'll write it and edit it a hundred times before it's ready to publish. The key thing though is that I'm setting the time each day to sit down and work at it. If I'm not struggling to create, then those more creative ideas won't ever arrive. The truth is that the action of creation is tough-- and it should be. It's what it makes it so rewarding, and it's what separates the people who dedicate their lives to working at thinking and being creative versus those who only wish it.

If you want to be more creative, regardless of your line of work or profession, then set the time aside each day to work at it. If creativity to you means thinking up a better accounting system, or if it means writing a novel, or if it means decorating your room in an exciting way... whatever it may be, practice it. Practice doing something new and trying it out and doing random things until one day it all clicks and you've created something new.

Creativity is passion. It's more than just doing something for the sake of it. It's often that we want to be creative in fields because we care about them. We have an interest in it. We have a strong sense of why and a strong sense of purpose. I write not because someone is telling me to write, but because I really love to write. I love to share my ideas, and these words with others. I love to express myself and hopefully inspire others. This passion is what drives me to write, and it's what pushes me to want to be more creative and more thoughtful with my writing. Think about what your passions are, or think about what they might be, and just work at them. If you aren't sure, try a bunch of random things until something speaks to you. That's what finding your passion is all about -- it isn't usually presented to you on a nice plate, but it's something you have to dig around for and find.

Creativity is courage. It's really hard to take what you've worked on and share it with the world. I still struggle with that today. No matter if it's writing a blog post, or sharing an Instagram caption or photo, or even making a playlist for a friend, I often feel afraid of what people might think. We have these ridiculous voices in our heads that often tell us we should feel afraid of what others will think, and that we shouldn't share our work because it isn't good enough. We let that voice keep us from exploring the world and testing new things and as a result it keeps us from growing. So what if others don't like it? If anything, that's pretty awesome -- you've created something that has sparked an emotional response in someone. That's no easy feat. It's something to be proud of.

Don't let that voice talk you out of your art, or your passion, or your creativity. Be courageous and take the leap, and share your ideas and work with the world. I'm sure you'll find it's far less scary than you think, and the world will really appreciate it. You never know where the path will lead you, but if you don't walk along it, you'll never go anywhere.